AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based Flashcards: Conservation of Electric Energy
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What two forms of energy are interconverted when a charge moves freely due to a potential difference?
Electric potential energy and kinetic energy are converted into one another, in accordance with the principle of conservation of energy.
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What two forms of energy are interconverted when a charge moves freely due to a potential difference?
Electric potential energy and kinetic energy are converted into one another, in accordance with the principle of conservation of energy.
How does the conservation of energy apply to a charged object moving between two points with different electric potentials?
The change in the object's kinetic energy is consistent with the conservation of energy; any loss in electric potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, and vice versa.
An electron (a negative charge) is moved from a low potential to a high potential. What is the effect on its kinetic energy?
The system's electric potential energy decreases (q is negative, ΔV is positive, so ΔU_E is negative). This results in an increase in the electron's kinetic energy.
What fundamental principle dictates that a change in electric potential energy leads to a change in kinetic energy for a moving charge?
The principle of conservation of energy dictates this relationship, stating that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant.
A proton is released from rest and accelerates through an electric potential difference. What can be said about the change in the system's electric potential energy?
Since the proton's kinetic energy increases, the electric potential energy of the proton-field system must decrease by an equal amount to conserve total energy.
What happens to the energy of a system when a charged object moves between two locations with different electric potentials?
The electric potential energy of the object-field system changes. This change in potential energy results in a corresponding change in the object's kinetic energy.
In the equation ΔU_E = qΔV, what does the term ΔV represent?
ΔV represents the electric potential difference, also known as voltage, between the final and initial locations of the charged object.
What is the equation for the change in electric potential energy of a charged object moving through a potential difference?
The change in electric potential energy is given by the equation ΔU_E = qΔV, where q is the charge and ΔV is the difference in electric potential.
For a given potential difference ΔV, what determines the magnitude of the change in electric potential energy?
The magnitude of the charge (q) determines the magnitude of the change in electric potential energy, as shown by the relationship ΔU_E = qΔV.
If a positive charge moves from a region of high potential to a region of low potential, what happens to its electric potential energy and kinetic energy?
Its electric potential energy decreases (ΔV is negative). This lost potential energy is converted into an equal amount of kinetic energy, causing the charge to speed up.